WFP Tajikistan strengthens school capacity in Sughd Region through microgrant project activities
A project ensures that schools can create source of income and feed their children
The WFP School Feeding Programme (SFP) is implemented in 15 districts of Sughd Region and around 166,000 primary schoolchildren benefit from daily hot school meals in 620 schools of the region. School number 43 is located in Asht district, with more than 720 school children benefiting from SFP. In 2021, this school, as many others in the country, received micro-grants from WFP for income-generating activities with the financial support of the Russian Federation to ensure the sustainable development of SFP in the country.
In School number 43 in Asht district with around 727 schoolchildren enrolled from grade 1 to 4, where 341 are schoolgirls, benefiting from WFP School Feeding Programme, daily hot meals and fresh baked bread are delivered. The school applied for a microgrant project with the aim of strengthening the school capacity to diversify the school meals, additional support to longstanding WFP SFP and Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) contributions.
The school applied for the microgrant project initiated by WFP to develop poultry farming, to support the school meals diversification and to enable the school to engage in income generating activity.
“We have a very large site at our school, around two hectares, and as a teacher, I thought it might be useful to develop our own business and use this land, which could make our school independent and able to respond to its needs. The initial idea we had was to start breeding poultry as we were aware of a big shortage of fish and chicken meat in the local food market. As a result, we, teachers and parents, planned and built a special place in the school where we started to breed poultry. Later, we found out that WFP gives micro- grants and we decided to take a grant in an amount of 39,000 somoni ($3,452). We bought about 100 chickens/turkeys, necessary equipment and accessories and started our work. Currently, we are able to satisfy our demands in meat and eggs as well as we sell the excess amount of meat and eggs. We use our own products to cook food for the schoolchildren. This initiative also fosters love of work among schoolchildren and serves as a good motivation for them. With this example we would like to say that it is possible to satisfy self-needs with the necessary food without going anywhere. For the future, we also plan to construct a greenhouse to grow vegetables for sale.” says Muhammad Hoshimov, responsible for poultry raising.
Poultry raising is also an effective tool for raising awareness among schoolchildren, their parents and the community about proper and healthy diet and eating, as well as forming healthy food preferences among children. “I am very happy today to see the result of our initiative, now the school meals are diversified with various soups and schoolchildren benefit from it while promoting healthy diet habits among them,” noted Muhammad Hoshimov, responsible staff.
“The school poultry supports the school meals diversification, promotes healthy eating habits among schoolchildren and enables the school to be self-sufficient through this income greeting activity, I feel highly content to see smiles and positive impatient manner of schoolchildren at canteen to get their favorite and tasty soup,“ Ms. Diloro Otajonova, principal of the school.
In total, 47 microgrant initiatives are being implemented in 41 schools, in 10 districts of Sughd region. Also, 10 types of microgrant initiatives such as cattle breading (4), beekeeping (2), fish-breading (1), poultry-breeding (3), rabbit breeding (1), canning (2), water well (1) gardening, (1), sewing (2), tree planting (1), provision of agricultural equipment (1) and green-house (28) are implemented in the region, total 47 project sites are in the region.
